A Kentucky woman has been arrested and charged after police say she induced an abortion using medication and then buried the remains of her unborn child in a shallow grave behind her home.
Melinda Spencer, 35, is facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree fetal homicide, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and first-degree promoting contraband, according to records from the Three Forks Regional Jail. She was taken into custody Thursday.
The investigation began Wednesday afternoon after staff at the United Clinic in Campton contacted Kentucky State Police. Trooper Zach Haney said clinic employees reported that a woman disclosed she had terminated her pregnancy at her residence on Flat Mary Road.
State police interviewed the woman, later identified as Spencer, who allegedly told investigators she ordered abortion medication online and took it at her home. According to police, she said the medication caused the death of a developed male fetus.
Investigators say Spencer admitted she buried the remains behind her home in a shallow grave. During the interview, she allegedly stated that the child was not her boyfriend’s and that she did not want him to discover the pregnancy.
Spencer reportedly told authorities she began taking the medication on December 26, 2025, and delivered the fetus the following day.
After the interview, law enforcement officers went to Spencer’s residence in the 3700 block of Flat Mary Road. Police say they located the grave exactly where Spencer indicated. Inside, investigators found a white grocery bag containing a light bulb box wrapped in Christmas paper. The remains were reportedly wrapped in a white cloth.
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the fetus’s gestational age.
Kentucky has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the United States. Abortions are only permitted if necessary to prevent the death or serious injury of the mother. Under state law, first-degree fetal homicide is classified as a capital offense.
Spencer remains in custody as the investigation continues. Authorities have not released additional details, and no court dates have been announced at this time.
